


Why Can't Life Be Like TV Shows???

by pcctheant



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Actor Keith (Voltron), Airplane Romance, Airplanes, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Flustered Lance (Voltron), Hurt/Comfort, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, In a way, Keith (Voltron) Flirts, Lance (Voltron) is a Dork, Lance (Voltron) is a Mess, M/M, Socially Awkward Keith (Voltron), Strangers to Lovers, Unrequited Crush, it doesn't last long though, that's why it's a mess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-20
Updated: 2019-05-06
Packaged: 2019-11-26 02:46:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18174809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pcctheant/pseuds/pcctheant
Summary: Lance had a massive crush. At least, compared to previous crushes. He has yet to confess, but he has a plan. A very elaborate and smart plan, thank you very much. (Take that, Pidge!) However, he didn't plan on Keith Kogane.He also didn't plan on being a dumbass, but sometimes it just happens. Why did romcoms have to make it look so easy? Airplane tickets were pretty expensive.





	1. First Contact

Let it be known that Lance McClain loved romantic comedies. He thought that they were absolute masterpieces. The skillful combination of true feelings and humor was unlike anything else. The settings and plots could be so different, but the romance always got his heart going. He was a sucker for the pure hearted complex relationships that could sprout between two strangers.

Let it be known that Lance McClain also fell in love easily. He always fell hard too. It was just part of his personality. He loved to talk to and watch people. He loved to see what made people different and what made them similar. Seeing how they worked and seeing their different sides. The big parts of them. The small parts. He simply loved to see the beauty of humanity and feel appreciation for each person. He opted to see their lighter sides, but the darker sides were what truly intrigued him. It was easy to see the good part of a person that was what was often presented, but it wasn’t often that what was presented was the complete truth.  He couldn’t always explain it, but, somehow, he could always fall in love.

Let it also be known that Lance McClain was an absolute idiot.

He had planned it out.  Nyma  was a simple classmate of his in college. Their class together was hard and occasionally they would meet up to study together. It was usually great until  Rolo  showed up.  Rolo  was alright though, so Lance couldn’t complain. Plus,  Nyma  seemed to like him. He had caught wind of a conversation between them before. He heard the murmurs of a trip to Georgia to look at film locations. Luckily, he was able to find the only plane that was flying to Georgia on that day and had ordered a ticket immediately. He would wake up close to the end of check-in and rush onto the plane. Find  Nyma  and confess. Then she would return his feelings and they could fly together like in the romcoms. If that worked then Lance was  definitely a  genius. However, it’s already been established that Lance McClain was an absolute idiot.

He did not have a backup plan. He did not expect to get rejected. It did make sense though. He wasn’t anything special. He wasn’t very smart or particularly good looking. He was simply Lance. A young boy from Cuba. He took the rejection with grace, holding his head up high as he walked to the seat he had booked. Once he had gotten there, he collapsed. With grace. Obviously.

“Are you alright?”

A deep voice sounded from right next to him and his attention was caught by two grey eyes. Black hair. Good physique. Red jacket and black shirt. Wait. Was that a mullet? There was only one person he knew that looked like that. The star of  _ The Mamoran Blade _ . 

“Keith  Kogane ?!”

“No.”

Right. There were probably other people in the world that looked like him. It would be strange to see a famous actor in economy class anyways. Then he pulled out a script that clearly said “for  _ The Mamoran Blade”  _ on it.

“You liar!” Lance had whisper yelled. Don’t worry. He wasn’t going to make this actor regret taking the flight.

“W-what? N-no. I am n-not Keith  Kogane . Who even is Keith  Kogane ? Definitely not me?”

The actor was doing terrible at lying. He wasn’t even making eye contact. He was just shifting awkwardly and the stutters that interrupted his speech weren’t helping his case either. The questions were also suspicious. There was no way the person in front of him was not Keith  Kogane .

“Stop. It’s painful trying to see you hide it. You could’ve at least tried to make eye contact. That would’ve helped what you were saying more. It’s somewhat obvious now that you’re him.”

“Alright. You got me. I am, in fact, Keith  Kogane .”

What now? Was Lance supposed to start a conversation? Ask for spoilers for the show?  Why was Keith  Kogane  even in Economy Class? Why not First Class?

“So, um, now that you just brutally interrogated me, can I ask you a question?”

Sure?

“I don’t know.  _ Can _  you?”

Silence.

Alright, maybe that was a bit rude.

“Yeah, dude, go ahead.”

“So, what were you upset about?”

Gosh. What was Lance supposed to say? That he just made himself look like an idiot by getting turned down in front of a group of strangers? That he stupidly believed that romcom plots could work in real life? 

“Well... that’s a funny story. So... I liked this girl, see? Her name was  Nyma , and she was cute and sweet and funny. So, I thought ‘Hey, this girl’s great! I  kinda  have a crush on her now!’ Then I overheard this conversation about her going to Atlanta for some sightseeing. I really like romantic comedies,  y’know ? That’s  kinda  how I recognized you. Anyways, I wanted to the  kinda  plane thing that they do one TV where they confess on the plane to prevent the other person from leaving. You can  kinda  tell that I got turned down by my lemon sour mood. At least I didn’t get a seat right next to her.”

He was rambling. That’s what he always did when he was nervous. Ramble. It seemed that Mr.  Kogane  didn’t mind. In fact, he almost seemed, amused? Which was somewhat rude. 

“Excuse you! Mr.  Kogane ! You have just met me, which classifies me as a stranger by the way, and I regale my plight. Only for you to laugh! Such disrespect! How dare you! I have younger nieces with more respect than you. I can’t believe you! I trusted you with this tale of sorrow and you treat me like this! I expect ed better treatment that  _ this _  from you! ”

That only seemed to make him more amused  and laughter escaped his mouth .

“Hmph. At least  _ someone  _ is happy.”

He stopped and pretended to wipe away tears.

“Sorry. It’s just you’re fun to watch. Your energy is really something special.”

The fond look he had sent Lance’s way could not be good for his heart. It was soft and it felt like anyone could fall in love with that one look. The adoration and admiration in the stare could not be faked. Lance blushed and looked away.

“Oh? What happened to that talkative stranger? I’m pretty sure you were just talking a mile a minute a few seconds ago. Where did that go? Now you’re right in front of me blushing. You better be careful, or someone’ll see how cute you are.”

That just made more blood rush to his face.

“T-that’s not fair.”

“It’s as they say  the rules of fair play do not apply in love and war. .”

“Isn’t it just all’s fair in love and war.”

“Sure, if you want to be more modern. I’ll let it slide since you’re such a cutie.”

Lance couldn’t take this amount of flirting. He was about to completely collapse in a pile of  jello . It was too soon to be back on the market.  Nyma  had just turned him down, after all. He fell silent and his blushing went down. He was only a slight bit flustered now.

“Are you alright? Sorry if that was a bit strong. It’s just you seemed like you needed some distraction and yeah... you are cute, so I thought...um...fuck it, I’m going to flirt. D-did I come on too strong?”

“How did you even know that I was gay?”

“More like bi, but just your whole presence screams ‘I’m a disaster and part of the LGBTQ+ community.’ Honestly, I don’t think how someone wouldn’t be able to see it.”

Lance giggled. He had not expected that kind of answer. Especially from someone who was usually so serious in interviews. It was refreshing seeing such an at-ease side of Keith  Kogane . It was endearing to say the least. He heard the captain come on the speakers and announce their take-off. He turned to face Keith.

“Well, I’m going to take a nap. See you on the other side I guess.”

When Lance woke up, he hadn’t expected to be in the lap of Keith  Kogane . He also didn’t expect the plane to have landed. It filled him with a sense of sadness. The knowledge that he would never see Keith again filled his brain. He felt a sense of longing for more time to talk. Even if their time was short lived, he wanted more. Was that selfish?

“Hey, cutie,  wanna  meet up again? I’ll be here for a while for filming. Give me your phone number and we can probably meet up sometime. I heard Georgia has some nice cafes in Woodstock. Pretty chill.  Wanna  grab a coffee? I might be able to sneak you on set?”

Then he winked. He fucking  _ winked _ . It was such a large contrast to the unsociable Keith  Kogane  on TV or the serious soldier, Red, he played on  _ The Mamoran Blade _ . They exchanged numbers and Keith got up and grabbed his luggage. Lance could only stare at his well-built body and fantasize.

“See  ya .”

With that he left, and Lance was left in his seat on an almost empty plane, heart pounding and face aflame.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You might be wondering about the Georgia thing. The state has recently started to become bigger in the film industry and I thought about how several Marvel movies were shot there. Keith is kinda like Tom Cruise and does his own stunts. Plus, I know there are nice parks for dates in Georgia. This is very very loosely based off of this tweet I saw about how this person sat next to a celebrity in Economy Class and they talked about The Office. Honestly, this was somewhat inspired by my friend who confessed to their crush and had to leave for out of country the next day because of winter break. This was a mess/mistake. I might write more. Then again, I say that every time.
> 
> Twitter: @pcctheant
> 
> Please leave comments and criticism.  
> Thank you!


	2. First Date

** Red Mullet: **  Hey. It’s Keith. Want to grab some coffee in Woodstock? I heard there’s this place called the Copper Coin. 

** Red Mullet: **  How’s 2 pm?

That text was the cause of Lance’s current panic. It wasn’t easy to plan a date that’s simultaneously  kinda  not a date. You had to dress nice, but it  has to  be casual in case it’s not a date. It had to be a date, right? I mean, it’s not like Keith would flirt for nothing. Right? Right?! Wait, where’s Lance’s jacket. It had to be around there somewhere. His apartment might be a mess, but it can’t be that much of a mess. Unbeknownst to Lance, his jacket was hanging on a hook next to the door. In the end, he found it and shrugged it on. Only to realize that it smelled like a Chinese restaurant. Was this the price to pay for good food? Quickly, he exchanged his traditional jacket with a denim one that had patches. Hopefully, Keith would take that as an invitation to ask questions.

The Copper Coin was a cozy coffee chop. The lighting was much softer than Starbucks and the set-up was much different. The wooden tables and chairs were different shades of brown and the black metal that made up the legs went wonderfully with them. Instead of a plain wall there was a set of humongous wooden stairs for customers to sit on and work. One the other side of the stairs was the ordering station. In the corner near the entrance were couches and coffee tables. On one side there was a massive window that took up the entire wall and had a bar with stools for customers to sit at and look outside at passersby like the creeps they always wanted to be. That’s where Lance found Keith. The sunlight pouring in highlighted his face in a way that it looked like an angel.

“ _ Hermoso _ .” Lance whispered under his breath. Keith couldn’t hear what he said, but he did hear a noise. He turned around and saw Lance staring. He took in the white jeans he was wearing the blue shirt and acid washed denim jacket. It was a large contrast to the dark red shirt, leather jacket, and black jeans he had put on. In that moment, he couldn’t help but think of how different they were. They were only two strangers at first. Was this even a date? Or was it a friendly meetup?  

“Hey, cutie, why don’t we head out of here and I’ll take you on a ride?”

“At this point, you’ve called me cutie so much I’m convinced you don’t even know my name.”

“It’s Lance. Right?”

“No, it’s obviously Leandro  Anceras Jaquian Kiletso .”

“You’re ridiculous.”

“Name-calling?! Keith  Kogane , I hope you feel ashamed! Is this how you treat all your dates?!”

Whoops. He had not meant to mention the d-word. There was no way Keith thought that this was a date. Sure, they might have flirted a little, but maybe it was play flirting? They had met on a plane for goodness sakes! It wasn’t exactly the most romantic meeting ever.

“This is a date, right?”

He couldn’t help the question that escaped his mouth  in such an unsure tone .  It betrayed his insecurity and made him look pitiful. He couldn’t only brace himself for laughter. But h e had to know. Had to make sure before he got his heart broken over a stupid mistake. He told himself to not get his hopes up, but he felt them rising in his chest.

“Yeah.”

They exploded in bursts of happiness. Blood rushed to his face as embarrassment and joy filled his lungs. Was it hot in here or was that just Keith? There was absolutely no way that such  a famous celebrity  would want to date him. Was that a reasonable thought? Nothing seemed to be right.

“Now, come on. It’ll take about 25 minutes to get there without any cops.”

What?

Turns out, Keith owns a motorcycle. Also turns out, he lived by the rule “Speeding is legal if there are no cops around. ”  Thankfully, the traffic was light and there weren’t any cops. Lance could just imagine the headlines if there were.  _ Star Actor Caught Speeding with Mysterious Boy Clinging. Actor Keith  _ _ Kogane _ _  Gets Pulled Over with Potential Boyfriend. Lance McClain, Dating the Speedster Keith  _ _ Kogane _ _? _  The possibilities were endless. They would only stir the rumor mills at the school he taught, and he would no longer be able to have a peaceful class. While they sped down the roads, Lance saw the trees blurring by through the visor of his helmet and appreciated the feeling of wind rushing beside them. The exhilaration of going fast eliminated any anxiousness he had felt when he first seen the vehicle. It was bright red with a sleek design. It was clear that it had been designed for speed. It was dangerous, but Lance couldn’t help but love the feeling he got from riding it. Keith had explained that it was one of the first things he had bought as an actor, so it held a special place in his heart. The freedom that Lance felt couldn’t be compared to anything else.

When they stopped Lance looked up to see the Georgia Aquarium. 

“Keith! Did you really bring me to the aquarium?! I love the ocean!”

He could see Keith’s face turn red and inwardly cooed at the sight.

“Well... I was really thinking about your eyes and how they’re so blue and deep like the ocean. They’re bright and they just  kinda  radiate happiness. I didn’t know whether or not you would like it.”

Now Lance was the one blushing. He ducked his head down as blood overtook his face and quickly latched his hand with Keith’s.

“Let’s go in.”

Keith had insisted on paying. It wasn’t fair because Keith had also drove them here, but Lance wasn’t complaining. He was simply just happy to be on a date after such a long time. Despite his reputation among friends as a flirt, it had been a while since his last girlfriend/boyfriend.

When they first entered, Lance could barely believe his eyes. It felt like he had been encompassed by the ocean. Swallowed whole and transported to the depths with dolphins and whales.  He quickly dashed to the glass wall eager to spot more fish when a dolphin approached him. It bumped its nose against the glass playfully and clicked to encourage a response. Lance waved in awe as it swam in a circle and bumped against the glass again.

Keith could only stare at Lance. The fishes didn’t matter. The child-like joy that filled his eyes was  absolutely adorable  and he couldn’t help but admire how La nce’s eyes were truly expressive. The honesty they held was refreshing in comparison to the lies that came with being an actor. Hollywood was infamous for being secretly dark. There was usually some sort of discrimination if you didn’t fit the mold of white and fit. Keith could accomplish one half of that standard, but the other half was impossible. Talk show hosts would lie and feign interest  in an attempt to  extract information from him. They could lie all they wanted, but Keith was no longer the naïve young actor he had been back in the day. Thankfully his agent,  Kolivan , kept him in check. It had been hard to figure out the exact limits that came with his race in the industry. Knowing what was okay to say and what wasn’t. How far could you go with something you believed in before it’s shot down for publicity. Keith was guarded on TV shows. They were sneaky and looked for anything bad. He had resorted to one-word answers for simplicity and put on the face of a cold character to avoid conflict. However, people had started to abandon him. Some of his old friends left him behind because all they wanted was money and fame. They never seemed to just see Keith at this point.

He was dragged out of his thoughts by Lance.

“C’mon! There’s absolutely no way I’m not walking down the tunnel!”

He then noticed the dolphin still staring at Lance.

“I see you’ve made a friend.”

“Ha-ha, yeah. I’ve named them Blue.”

“Blue? What kind of name is that?”

“That’s some big talk coming from someone who literally plays the part of a person called Red.”

“Yeah,” Keith sputters, very professionally mind you, "well, I didn’t have any choice. The show writers chose that name and I was stuck with it.”

“You can’t fool me. I watch talk shows,  y’know . I know that you were given the chance to change the name. I also know that the original name was going to be Akira, and  _ you _  were the one who changed it to Red. Tut-tut, Mr. Actor, lying to your fans? What would the press make of this? The paparazzi would go wild.”

Keith sputters again, goodness gracious he needs to stop that, “I thought it would be cool! Simple and mysterious!”

“Uh-huh, tell that to the judge, Mr.  Kogane .”

“What judge? You?”

“Yes, exactly, as your date I reserve the right to pass judgement on your decisions. I now sentence you as guilty of bad naming skills.”

“Oh really? Well, thank you your honor. May I just say you look wonderful today?”

“Flattery will get you nowhere, Mr.  Kogane .” Then Lance giggled. Shit. If that wasn’t the cutest sound in the universe Keith didn’t know what was.

“Anyways, what’s with the dolphin?”

“I don’t know, but I don’t care. I love them and their name is Blue.”

“Are you sure you really want to say that in front of the person you’re currently on a date on?”

“Yes.” The look on Lance’s face was serious, but his eyes gave him away. Keith could see the mischievous glint in them. It was at that moment he realized he had been smiling for a long time without knowing it. He could see himself falling in love with the boy in front of him.

It felt like they were under the sea, like you could reach out and just touch the dolphins. The feeling could only be described as something like magic. They walked down the tunnel with Lance ogling at the dolphins who followed him around diligently. 

“Well, aren’t you popular?”

“Says the celebrity.”

“Hey, no one’s stopped me to take a selfie yet. I don’t think you can say that.”

“ _ Yet.  _ I’m sure that soon enough you’ll have to be stopped by fans, and I’ll have to escape  in order for  us to have a dramatic secret relationship that will later be made into a TV show after you come out.”

“The specificness of that statement scares me.”

“Don’t be. I’m sure we’ll be together or something. Whether it’s social obligation or actual feelings for each other. We’ll still be able to rake in the profit from that show. Then we can afford to support our dog and cat in our fancy New York apartment.”

“May I restate a previous statement?”

“You may, but watch yourself, Mr.  Kogane .”

“You are ridiculous.”

They laughed together and joked until it was almost five o’clock. The speed of how fast time went by amazed Keith. It felt like he was constantly happy with Lance. But was it too soon? Was he falling too fast? Being with Lance was like riding his motorcycle it felt like something wrong even though it would be perfectly fine. He couldn’t come out just yet though. He wasn’t ready. But he didn’t want Lance to be secret. He wanted to show the world that he was dating someone who made him happy. He didn’t want Lance to be just a dirty secret. He wanted to let them have a public relationship something that could flourish freely without people looking down on his skills as an actor.

“Keith?”

But would Lance be okay with having to be silent? Would he understand how their relationship could affect his career if not handled properly?

“Keith? Hello?”

What if Lance left him because of that? What if Lance got hurt because of him?

“Keith, are you alright? You’ve just been standing in the middle of the lobby. Do you need anything?”

“Lance.”

“Yes?”

He wanted to say so much. He wanted to insist on having a secret relationship, but what if it broke them apart? There was a limited amount of time they would be able to keep it hidden before the people found out. Then what would happen? Would they break up? Would they be strong enough together? He wanted Lance’s reassurance, but he didn’t want to burden his with these kinds of thoughts. And how long would they keep it secret? Would he ever be able to come out and say it proudly?

“Let’s go get something from the gift shop and then I’ll take you to your hotel.”

He had almost forgotten about how Lance was only here because of a mistake. They wouldn’t be in the same place for a while. They would either  have to  carry out a long-distance relationship or just forget about each other completely. Could Keith take  it?

“Did  you know sharks are my  favorite?”

“Really? I thought you liked dolphins?”

“Dolphins are cool and bisexual, but sharks are just generally cooler. They’re seriously misunderstood. They can be  pretty chill  too. They’re not going to randomly attack you unless you randomly attack them. They have sense.”

Keith spotted it in the corner of his eye. It was a whale shark plushie. Nothing big. Admittedly, it was even cute for such a large species. So, he bought it for Lance because even if they would have to split up eventually then there would be something that would remind Lance of him. He didn’t want to leave or split up, but he also couldn’t ignore what seemed to be inevitable.

“Here.”

“Wow, um, thanks, Keith. I love  it?  Like not to be rude or anything. Just, it’s so cute? I don’t know. It’s just adorable.”

“Yeah.”

“You’ve gotten quieter. Is there something you want to talk about?”

“No.”

Keith would try to ignore it as much as possible. He wanted to hang onto Lance for as long as he could. One day, Lance would leave, and Keith would say goodbye. Then they would go back to how they were. Strangers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise that I will cap it at four chapters. I promise this will not end up like A Study In Love because that is currently a mess. Anyone who reads the next chapter and thinks that it looks like I'm going above four chapters is welcome to yell at me to stop. This whole fic was kinda just me procrastinating writing A Study In Love. Thank you to all the people who commented on the previous chapter.
> 
> Twitter:@pcctheant
> 
> Please leave comments and criticism.  
> Thank you.


	3. First Fight

They  had  only  gone  on one date. Keith had to film for his TV show and Lance  was forced to  entertain himself. They texted each other and, in his eyes, they were dating. Eventually, the time came when Lance was forced to go back. He promised to text when he had landed, and he was prepared for Keith to respond with assurance that he would text back. All he got was silence. While Keith’s presence was comforting in the cold and busy airport, there seemed to be some unseen tension in the air. L ance wanted to reach out and grab his hand. He wanted to pull the man towards him and give him a hug, but there was a strange space between them. His hand started to feel heavy and he couldn’t even think about how hard it would’ve been to lift it. He  boarded the plane and reminded himself that Keith would text. 

He had texted as soon as he could. As soon as he was through airport security and ready to call Hunk for a ride, he texted Keith a selfie of himself. He had made sure to smile and hold up the plushie Keith had given him on their first date. There was no immediate reply, but he was fine. Keith was probably busy. Quickly, he called Hunk and prepared to return to their apartment. 

“Hey! Lance! How did it go? You never texted me after you left, so I had to worry for more than two weeks. Two weeks, Lance! Do you know how hard it was to try and figure out where you went? I had to go digging through your stuff to find your location! Never do that again!” 

“Geez, Hunk, what are you? Mi  mamá ? Look I went to confess to  Nyma  on the airplane and it failed. However! I did score a date with a hot guy who also happens to be a famous actor.” 

“First of all, how dare you tarnish Mama McClain’s name like that? You know your mom is too good for both of us and no one in the world will ever be able to beat her. How dare you compare her to such a lowly creature like me?  Second of all , I don’t believe that you were able to really go on a date with a famous actor without the press finding out. I keep up with the news, Lance, I’m not dumb.” 

“You’re right.” 

“Darn right I am. There’s no way you  actually went  on an incognito date and didn’t blow your cover. You’re too loud and attractive for that.” 

“AWWWW. Hunk! I didn’t know you thought like that!” 

“Someone has to feed your self-confidence.” 

“Thanks, buddy, but I was saying you’re right about your first point. Not the second.” 

“Alright, then who’s this famous actor?” 

“Keith  Kogane .” 

“No.” 

“Yes.” 

“I refuse to believe that you went on a date with one of the most famous action stars in the US. I also refuse to believe that he would be willing to go on a date  with  you   because he’s so cold and serious.” 

“He is not! He is unsociable and cute! He’s also really fit and could probably bench press me. So, ha!” 

“Dang, McClain.” 

“Yes, I know.” 

“I’m dragging you over to Pidge’s so we can have a proper talk about this.” 

“Seriously?” 

“You want to keep looking like you’re having an argument with yourself in the middle of an airport?” 

“Well maybe I do.” 

“You don’t.” 

“True.” 

Hunk sighed. 

“Alright, I’m coming.” 

\---------

Keith hadn’t called or texted. It had been a full month since Lance had arrived back home and the number of messages that kept going unnoticed were starting to bother him. It had even started to affect him at his job. The new middle schoolers he taught were entertaining to say the least, and the start of the school year combined with his pining only seemed to amplify his sadness. He could feel the gossip behind his back and whispers seemed to follow him wherever he went. Speculation after speculation came and went as students theorized why the famous upbeat language arts teacher was down. 

Lance was livid. He glared at the screen and wondered if he could kill Keith without getting caught. The word ‘Read’ stood out and he could feel anger growing in his soul. It broke out from beneath the ground and soared and at the root of it was sadness, insecurity, and hopelessness. All he had wanted was relationship. They had great chemistry that it made no sense that Keith had cut him off. Was it because he wasn’t a celebrity? Was Keith ashamed?  

“Mr. McClain?” 

The voice of one of his students, Emily, called out to him in an almost frightened tone. 

“Yes?” 

“Are you alright?” 

“Yes.” 

Whispers began to run around the room as students looked concerned for their fate. Perhaps it was the look on Lance’s face or the seriousness of his tone. The bell rung and the tension was broken as children began to celebrate their freedom. It had been the last period of the day and they could now escape. If only Lance could to. 

\---------

Hunk and Pidge were worried. While Pidge gave looks of concern and pondering from the side, Hunk was  more vocal and blunt .

"Lance, we're having a sleepover."

"Hunk."

"Yes?"

"No."

"Guess what? You're not allowed to refuse."

That was how Lance found himself sandwiched in between two of the most amazing people in the universe and hating every moment of it. On the surface, everything looked same as it usually was. But underneath the peace was a strange tension and awkwardness that was foreign to the apartment's occupants. Hunk's usual humming was replaced by the clack of Pidge's keyboard as she used her laptop as a distraction. Lance sat on the couch staring at his phone checking his messages every so often. No one spoke in fear of breaking the calmness and letting loose a storm. Unfortunately, Pidge was fearless.

"Lance. Tell us what's going on with you. You came back home happy and going on about this great guy! A few weeks later, we hear nothing, and you're sulking in the corner like some kid who lost their favorite blanket and just got a taste of the real world!"

"It's nothing, Pidge."

"Bullshit! We're not stupid! Don't treat us like one of your fucking middle school students because they're easier to brush off! It's not nothing ,  and you don't get to act like it is!"

"I said it's nothing, Pidge."

"Shut up! It's not fucking nothing! Now tell us what's wrong!"

"I GOT  FUCKING  DUMPED!"

Silence, the only sounds that were heard came from the kitchen where Hunk was cooking.

"Happy?"

"No, care to explain what happened in more detail?"

"Is this what you invited me over for? Is that it? To pry into my personal life like it's nothing and hope that I didn't fuck up that bad?"

"No! Don't change the topic! You calm down and tell us what happened ,  or I will go through all of the activity on your phone from the past few weeks for answers."

"Excuse you! That is an invasion of privacy!"

"It isn't yet, so tell us what happened."

"No."

"Lance."

"I refuse."

"I'll let you put a face mask on me."

"Fine.  But, j ust to clarify, I'm doing this for your good, not mine."

He explained everything and it felt good. The burden that had rested on his conscience was lighter and he felt freer. He wanted to grow wings and fly away.  He released a sigh and deflated on the couch.  It felt so good that he didn't see the looks exchanged between Pidge and Hunk as Hunk peeked out from the doorway. Hunk finally came out of the kitchen with food ,  and Lance felt at home. They watched a movie and joked around for a while. For once, Lance was at rest and Keith was nowhere in his mind. 

\---------

He couldn't find the courage to text back. The blank text box stared back at him, mocking him for not being able to come up with a reply. With each passing day, he knew that his chances at forgiveness were decreasing. He wanted to have a relationship. He wanted it so badly. He wanted something with the bright-eyed male who had enchanted him from the first conversation that they had. Ocean eyes that were unlike any other. A cute face framed by curls that fell perfectly and tan skin that was obviously cared for. He could feel that the boy excluded happiness. He could feel the waves of love roll off his skin and Keith felt himself longing for more. He craved it like nothing else mattered. It had been so long since someone else had tried to know him as Keith. Just Keith. Not Keith  Kogane , the famous actor. 

"Mr.  Kogane , you should get ready to go on set now."

Another nameless face.

"Alright, thank you."

Behind him he could hear giggles and whispers among the female crew. But the jealous stares of the males outweighed the small talk that broke out between the women. The intro for the show was played throughout the studio as  he walked to the edge of the curtain and waited for his cue to come out. The host called out his name and Keith walked out to the cheers of the audience. He took a deep breath and prepared himself mentally.

“Hello everyone, my name is Keith Kogane, as you all know. Here’s something you probably didn’t know, I’m gay.”

\---------

It had been a regular day in the classroom. He had felt better than ever. The sun was  shining ,  and it was a good day with good weather. That’s when it was wrecked by the sound of Keith  Kogane’s  voice .

“-m gay.”

Cheers and jeers alike escaped the small cellphone held in his student ’ s hand and he could feel his heart rising in hope that he would be mentioned. Maybe just a little hint about how Keith was in a relationship.  A small nudge towards how he was unavailable.

“ So,  are you single and ready to mingle?”

A laugh , bright and seemingly innocent .

“Yes.”

Everything came crashing down.

\---------

They had met at his apartment. Keith was disguised with sunglasses and a hat. They almost completely made him unrecognizable if it weren’t for the disgusting, evil mullet he sported on his head. Lance had welcomed in, the picture of politeness. Then they stood there in awkward silence. The air between them grew heavy and Keith twitched with nervousness while removing his disguise. 

“You look nice.” 

That compliment should have warmed his soul. It should’ve made him blush. Instead it was just more fuel to add to the fire. Blood rushed through his veins at an insane speed as he felt anger  rising up  to his head towards his mouth. Before he knew it, he was yelling. 

“Really?! You go a whole month and almost a half without replying to any of my messages and the first thing you say to me is that?! Do you know how sad I was to not get a reply?! I thought we were dating  and then you go on that talk show and say that you’re single! ” 

“Lance.” 

His voice carried longing and sadness ,  it would’ve broke Lance’s heart if he hadn’t kept it so sheltered. He was determined to not get hurt. 

“No! You don’t get the privilege to say my name like that. You don’t get to call out to me like you  actually want  me and a relationship! Don’t you understand, Keith? You can’t keep playing around with me like this. I just can’t take it! I want to be with you! But I can’t if you’re going to keep doing this!” 

“But I thought you wouldn’t want the hassle of dating a celebrity and having to keep it secret until I was ready.” 

“Then you need to talk to me! Relationships have to have communication!  And now you’re out of the closet! Was it really that hard to just say no?! You didn’t even have to say who you were in a relationship with! You just had to say no! ” 

Lance hadn’t even noticed he was crying until he felt the tears drop from his face. The trails they left behind were cold against his face and he immediately wiped them off. He lowered his arm quickly and went to look down, but he was stopped by the look on Keith’s face. The look of desperation was stuck there. He could see tears forming in the corners of those grey eyes and he wanted to pull him into his arms for comfort. But he couldn’t. He wouldn’t give in.  

“Please, Lance, give me another chance. Let me try again. I want to date you, really. I just don’t know how. I want to learn how to love you and give you everything. I can’t say that I’m in love just yet, it’s too early for that, but I can say I want to know more. I want to learn every little thing about you. I want to be the person that you go to for warmth. Would you give me another chance?” 

“No, I can’t. I just... can’t!”

A small laugh escaped Lance. He didn’t know where it came from. 

“Darn it, Keith. You can’t do this to me. I can’t risk this again. I don’t want to try again if you’re going to just leave me high and dry. It’s so hard to say no. It’s so hard to say yes  too . I don’t know. What are you doing to me? I thought I could just look you straight in the eyes and say that we were done. That there was no chance we would ever go back together because you hurt me and ignored  me ,  and I couldn’t take that. Now, here we are, talking about second chances. How did this even happen? It was only one date.” 

“I don’t know. I don’t know a lot of things. Please take a risk for me. Let me show you that I can be good for you. Please.” 

“How am I ever going to refuse you? I’m trying too, but I can’t. Why?” 

“Stop fighting that, Lance. Just give in.” 

“Please, Keith.” 

“Lance.” He reached out and grasped Lance’s tan wrist while pulling him towards him. 

“Keith. We can’t do this. It wouldn’t work.” 

“Why? Give me one reason why we can’t be together.” 

“You’re a celebrity and I’m not. I’m a plain man who has no interesting qualities. I haven’t done anything amazing in my life. We’re so different. You’re out of my league, Keith. Dating you isn’t going to be easy for either of us.  Do you want more? ” 

Keith was speechless, and the silence was suffocating. Lance was forced to fill the empty space.

“You’re funny and great. I’m not. You’re attractive and I’m nowhere near the average level of beauty. I have freckles that don’t look good. I have belly fat and chub. I have skin that will never be perfect no matter how much I try to fix it! There’s nothing good. I’m not smart! I can’t move as well as you do! There are so many things, damnit! Keith, can’t you see that I’m not good for you?”

Tears were streaming down Lance’s face. They left sad blue eyes, and Lance couldn’t be bothered to wipe away his tears or hide his face. He wanted to talk face to face. Even if it did hurt his heart to see Keith’s determination. 

“Stop. You are already one of the most interesting people I know, Lance. Don’t take that lightly. You’re beautiful and funny. I can tell that you are kind and caring. Never talk bad about yourself. I wouldn’t be able to take it. It pains me to see how insecure you are. I never want to let you go. There’s no reason we can’t figure it out as we go.” 

“It was only one date. One date, Keith! How can you know this?! We’ve only texted and had one date. I’m sorry to inform you but usually one date isn’t enough to promise all that you’re talking about. It’s not enough to say that you know me that well!” 

“I want to know you that well! I want to know everything about you! Haven’t I said that already?!” 

Lance responded in a whisper. His voice carried so much hesitation and worry that Keith loosened his grip and stared at the man before him. The tears were flowing down both of their faces, somehow, Lance was still one of the most beautiful things Keith had seen. 

“I can’t.” 

Two words. Those two words signified something. It was a choice. A chance. Keith could either leave it or keep on fighting. To him, the answer was clear. To Lance, the outcome couldn’t be more unknown. 

“No, you might not be able to do it alone.” 

Keith spoke in a calm tone. His gaze piercing through Lance’s eyes. 

“But we can do it together. You will never be alone, Lance. I promise. And if I ever break that promise you can do whatever you want with me. I will never leave you again.” 

Keith was serious. Promises were important to him. In a career full of lies the truth was precious and promises were built on the truth. They were built to make the truth stronger. Strong like Lance. He reached out and caressed caramel skin while wiping away tears with a brush of his thumb. He looked at the face before him with as much admiration and adoration as he could. His heart burst in a way that felt like soaring. It felt like the world had slowed down and was only them. Two men reuniting with the hope of becoming lovers once more because at that moment nothing mattered more. To Keith, it was just Lance. There was no pressure or rules. Just something messy and wonderful. 

“I can’t, Keith. What? Can you not understand those words?”

“You’re not alone, Lance.”

“You don’t get to say that, Keith! You can’t just march in here and demand that we talk on your terms! We are solving this on equal grounds.”

“I thought we are!”

“It’s not because you’ll always be better and too good for me! I don’t deserve you and you don’t deserve my burden!”

“When were you the judge of that?! I’ll decide  whether or not  I want to take you on and, guess what, I want to! I really do! You can’t just push me away!”

“Oh, says the guy who didn’t reply to my texts for months!”

“I already explained why!”

“I did too!”

Silence fell heavy and the air was filled with an immense pressure that made it hard to breathe. Lance could feel the lump in his throat forming.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this.” 

Muttered words said so fast and quiet that Keith almost missed them when they dropped from soft pink lips. 

“I’m willing to give you another chance. Just don’t ignore me. I don’t want to be your dirty little secret.  Don’t just ignore me now that I’ve given you another chance. ” 

There was no way he wouldn’t mess up. They were far from the perfect relationship. They weren’t something that poets would wax about as the definition of romance. They weren’t soulmates tied together by destiny. They were just Keith and Lance. 

“That’s all I need for now.”

\---------

“Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome to the stage...Keith Kogane!”

“Hi, Steve.”

“Hey, Keith. How’s the show business going?”

“Pretty good.”

“How about your romantic life, hm? I’m sure there are lots of men out there who would like to know.”

“Well, um, there’s someone I’m interested in. They’re amazing. We haven’t really given our relationship a label yet, but they said it was okay to say that we’re dating on national television.”

“Really? Who’s the lucky guy?”

“You probably don’t know him. He’s not a celebrity, but he’s certainly a star in my eyes.”

Coos ran through the audience as people witnessed Keith’s eyes soften.

“What do you like about him?”

“I don’t know how to describe it, honestly.  He’s just perfect, and I could see myself with him forever. He also has these really beautiful eyes I could just get lost in.  I think it’s best if I use his words, we make a good team.”

Within a few hours of the interview every social media was blowing up with the words “We make a good team.” Lance heard his students talking and struggled to hide the smile that took over his face.  Maybe Keith wasn’t so bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I rewrote it! I think it's better. I'm happy that I was able to fit more interaction between Pidge, Hunk, and Lance because they have a great friendship and not including it was terrible for my conscience. Thank you to edmundforpresident for their comments! I liked your suggestion about adding Keith's POV, but I couldn't really fit that in. I really wanted to show him being conflicted and stuff and have Shiro there as emotional support. Sorry. :(
> 
> Twitter:@pcctheant
> 
> Please leave comments and criticism.  
> Thanks!


	4. Chapter 4

“ Hello, everyone! I’m your host, Steve  Hertson , and today we have a very special guest! He’s the star of the hit show  _ The Mamoran Blade, _  gay, but  definitely not  single! Please welcome, Keith  Kogane !”

Cheers greeted him as he walked into the light. They shined brightly in his eyes and nearly blinded him. Several years in the business and he still can’t get used to it. The audience clap s  louder as he steps out and the seat that greets him is familiar. He’s been on this show many times before. It was where he had his first interview. Now, it was time for Lance’s first interview. Maybe even Lance’s only interview if he didn’t like it. Keith wouldn’t force him. 

“Hey, Steve. How are you?”

A laugh came from Steve.

“Good. How ‘bout you? I heard from a little birdy that someone’s engaged.”

“I’m doing good.”

“Oh? I’m sure you must be especially with that shiny ring your sporting.”

A few laughs came from the audience, but Keith couldn’t care less as he blushed and looked down at the golden band that encompassed his fourth finger. 

“This? This isn’t really anything.”

A faint scandalized gasp could be heard from backstage.

“I’m guessing your  fiancé isn’t too happy to hear that. On that note, please welcome to the stage Lance McClain, soon to be Lance Kogane.”

Keith groaned and buried his head in his hands as Lance came out  to cheers from the audience .

“Keith! How could you? I thought we were in love?” Lance proclaimed dramatically, his eyes twinkling with mirth  and arms thrown up in the air .

“Lance,  please, I love you and all that, but I have a certain reputation to uphold.”

“But, Keith, I have to tell the world all about how lovey-dovey we are.” Lance whined while collapsing onto the space next to him.

“ Lance, I love you, but I must restate that I have a reputation.”

“ Pshhh , no one cares, Keith! Everyone’s too invested in how you managed to attract such a fine piece of meat, and, to clarify, that fine piece of meat is me.”

“Do you want to tell them about the airplane?”

Lance immediately sputtered and turned red.

“Nope, don’t remember, didn’t happen. Nothing happened on that airplane. Nothing at all.”

“That’s where we first met,” Keith tells Steve, who looks on in amusement.

“Exactly, nothing big happened!” Lance butts in with regained enthusiasm.

“What do you want to tell them about, then? Our first date?”

“Keith, please, that’s too cliché. First dates are usually stereotypical and can fall a bit flat half-way through the telling. It’s the first aimless wandering about in a relationship! The first time there aren’t any spectators! We can’t ruin it! This is sacred ground we’re talking about! No! I tell you what we’ll do. We tell th em about our second date.”

“Oh, dear Lord, please help me.”

“Shush! Now, Steve, I’m sure you’re interested in what happened.”

“As the host I’m somewhat contractually obligated to.”

Laughter runs through the audience at the joke.

“Well, dear Steve, it started out rather sad. We had just gotten into a fight and we were basically in the awkward stage of ‘well I like him but what if he doesn’t like me’ which is one of the  _ worst _  stages in a relationship. Fanfiction can romanticize it as much as it wants too, but real life is hard. Anyways, there we were, standing in front of a restaurant awkwardly trying to talk at the same time and stalling our entrance to the place. Then out comes my buddy, Hunk, who runs the place. He’s standing there staring at us incredulously, I’ve always wanted to use that word, and drags us both by the arms to a table.  Now, Hunk is exactly like his name implies, a hunk. It’s no easy feat, escaping his grip, but Keith does some fancy martial arts mind magic to make him let go and we sit down at our table with no fuss. We order and stay  si -”

“I literally just asked him to let go.”

“Hush, I’m trying to make you look cooler for your fans. As I was saying, we ordered and stayed silent because we were young and awkward. Then-”

“That was only 2 years ago Lance, we aren’t much older.”

“Do you hear something? Well, Hunk comes in with this dish for couples instead of our actual orders and basically forces us together! The way he presented it was so cheesy too! We ended up laughing together when he left us alone and the rest of the date was just smooth sailing. We talked about stuff, and that was when I first realized I could probably spend the rest of my life with him!”

Keith’s face was completely red now and he couldn’t bear to meet anyone’s eyes. He could feel all the knowing stares from the audience and host as Lance continued to babble on about their second date and how it was “so romantic” and “cute”.

“So, Lance, what do you do for a living?” The host asks once Lance is done with his story. At this point the audience is already enamored with him and Keith can already feel the extra questions about Lance that will pop up in his interviews later on.

“I’m a teacher.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, that’s right. Which means that I get the privilege of guiding America’s next geniuses! It also means I can brainwash them, but I like to use my powers for good.”

Laughter echoes at the joke and Keith can see that Lance is fully comfortable.

“Ever think about being an actor like your  fiancé ?”

“Honestly, from what I see from Keith, it’s too much of a hassle. Plus, that would make even harder to meet up! Still, I think the most of Hollywood I’ll see is when I’m with Keith, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Coos of adoration spread through the audience, and Keith has already disappeared in the time everyone was focusing on Lance.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go find my soon-to-be husband!”

With that, he exits and applause follows him as he heads backstage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's done! I have another "project" in mind, if you want to call it that, but I promise I'll work on A Study In Love. I had finals to do, so that's why this is late. Thank you for following this fic!
> 
> Twitter:@pcctheant
> 
> Please leave comments and criticism!  
> Thank you!


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